As this project continues to materialize, observations and related comments from its participants are helpful in understanding its short- and long-term goals. This month, we invited Rob Fisher, Forrest Jehlik, Horace Mast, and Dave Kalen to respond to four questions linked to the project. You know them from prior introductions. Their commentary is interesting, applicable, and thought-provoking.

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Forrest Jehlik, Engineer, Argonne National LaboratoryDid you observe any test results that were not expected?
"For me, the most interesting aspect of the testing was the emissions results. Understanding that catalysts require close stoichiometric mixtures for proper function, I was extremely curious both in the quantities of criteria emissions formed and the conversion efficiency in rich A/F mixtures.

Secondly, our entire group had questions concerning the durability of the catalytic converter substrate after a full day of heavily loaded engine testing. In short, would the substrate melt? Would there be a thermal event due to a rich exhaust stream? Would the location of the catalyst at the header collector be too close, thus too hot, from the exhaust stream? Since I'd not seen any of these type of data from a race engine, the entire group was most curious about the results.

Some preliminary observations noted there was significant NOx reduction potential with the catalysts. However, we observed a very modest change in CO/HC concentrations in the exhaust. Knowing that the chemistry of the catalyst and the kinetics that dictate the oxidation reactions require a significant concentration of O2, the results were not entirely unexpected.

More significant, the very slight loss in power relative to the non-catalytic converter configuration was eye opening. Basically, this means you can run a configuration that not only generates more power than the current technology offers (carburetors, racing gasoline, and open exhaust), but emits less emissions with EFI, catalytic converters, and a sustainable fuel. The relative pumping losses don't need to be prohibitive to performance. That's significant.

After all the tests, we removed the catalysts and examined the substrate. There were no signs of substrate melting although one of the substrates had begun to unroll due to high exhaust pressure. However, this issue could readily be addressed and one the team will follow and manage throughout the remainder of the project."

Based on the dyno tests thus far conducted, what conclusions can you draw about the impact of this project on the circle track community, both short- and longterm?
"I've always been a proponent of data. As I jokingly tell my friends, 'In God we trust. Everyone else brings data.' Prior to joining this project, I was unaware of any published data comparing the power results from using renewable fuels against today's standard benchmark (carburetors, racing gasoline, and so on) that included catalysts and electronic fuel injection. Before we could understand the impact that such a project could have short- and longterm, we needed to understand the potential benefits from and detriments to the new technologies. From the first round of dynamometer testing, it is my honest opinion that the racing community could be on the cusp of not only sustainability toward increasing overall performance but a chance to establish a standard of sustainability and responsibility by setting an example for our country as a whole.

Over the short-term, it's obvious that getting this type of information out and into the racing community's hands is of the utmost importance. There has been so much speculation and 'guesstimations' in certain forms of racing, including myths and traditions, that progress seems to be a bad word. Yet the history and roots of racing are filled with characters and visionaries who passionately worked for advancement by pushing all the envelopes.

If the racing community was ultimately open to the possibility of integrating renewable fuels and modern engine technologies, an entirely new fold of enthusiasts would be pulled into the sport. The sport would then become a standard for technology advancement and responsibility.

3/3Dave Kalen crunches the emission numbers.

Our country needs visionaries and leadership, and there is absolutely no reason why the racing community can't be the ones to set such an example."

What immediate and longer term issues do you think need to be resolved in bringing the benefits of this project more into the mainstream of circle track racing?
"The first step in making this happen is to get the support of the racing community for such change. There are visionaries, like our good colleagues at Mast Motorsports and all the other participants and sponsors of this project who are ready to support such a transition. We would also need the support of the sanctioning bodies to modify their racing series to include (at least initially) the newer technologies, comparable to what we're exploring right now.

Then, in order to bring such changes to the racing community, a reliable domestic supplier of fuel would be needed to support the effort. By doing what's possible to remove the racing community from the environmental debate, integrating more advanced technologies in the fold and returning the track to a technology proving ground, a whole new group of race fans could be brought into play. However, for that to be successful, a solid program of branding, marketing, and educating racers and the fan base will be required."

What questions do you see arising from this project and how do you perceive responding to them?
"I imagine the first question will be, 'Why should we change?' The answer to that lies in many of the points I've raised in responding to earlier questions. Ultimately, the fuels used in racing will need to be replaced with a sustainable source. Petroleum is not infinite. With the added concerns about global climate change, my opinion is it's only a matter of time before the racing community will come under scrutiny. By advancing toward a sustainable path that's ahead of the so-called 'curve,' this community will have empowered itself and set an example for the country, all without legislative duress.

In addition, I believe racers will ask questions about the costs associated with change. This, of course, is an important question. It has been a goal of those leading this Circle Track project to attempt demonstrating technologies that minimize costs to the racer, perhaps through offset fuel costs or improved component durability leading to fewer engine rebuilds and greater on-track fuel economy. Although none of these concerns are currently resolved, this project's participants are completely honest about all the realities of change. In this context, nothing will be hidden from CT's readers. By design, the intent is to be as transparent as possible to maintain honesty and technical professionalism. The results to date are very encouraging and could bode well for both racers and the general populace."

Rob Fisher, Editor, Circle Track MagazineDid you observe any test results that were not expected?
"The biggest thing I observed, at least from my viewpoint, was the fact that when we put the catalytic converters on the exhaust system we didn't lose any appreciable power. Prior to the tests, my expectations had been that we'd decrease power on the order of 10-20 percent. Probably I'd had this view because what we did hadn't been done before, at least in the fashion we are executing this project. In fact, I believe the rest of our team felt we were going to lose some measure of power, so it was a revelation for us all that the differences between cats and no cats was so marginal.

To put it in perspective, when you look at a difference of 3-5 horsepower given the level of power this engine is currently producing, simple chassis tweaks can make up for more than a difference like this."

Based on the dyno tests thus far conducted, what conclusion can you draw about the impact of this project on the circle track community, both short and longterm?
"I think if you were to ask just about any racer which is more efficient, carburetors or electronic fuel injection, my gut feeling is most of them would respond with the correct answer. What I believe we're doing with this project is documenting the fact that electronic-fuel-injected engines have the potential to be legitimate oval track race engines.

In particular, when you start comparing the torque curves produced by these engines (compared to those carbureted) and where in the overall rpm range EFI engines produce their torque, I think racers will find thaton-track performance will be superior because additional torque is available earlier in the engine speed range.

We talk all the time about being 'smooth' in how power is applied, particularly by the driver, and it has been shown that a broader and flatter torque curve helps contribute to this condition. I suspect there'll be some racers who pick up on this opportunity and begin thinking about how they can set up their cars to take advantage of a reshaped EFI torque curve.

Longterm, I'd like for the circle track racing community to eventually look back on this project and realize we were simply trying to expand their thinking to include a more environmentally conscious approach for sustaining this and other types of racing. We're not advocating replacing any form of racing, but seeking to branch out beyond conventional thinking."

What immediate and longer term issues do you think need to be resolved in bringing the benefits of this project more into the mainstream of circle track racing?
"Let me answer the question where the EFI issue is concerned. I think there are two things that plague EFI in circle track racing right now, one of which is durability of components. For example, I was recently discussing the CT525 engine with a principle in a sanctioning organization and he said, 'There's absolutely no way this engine will make it in circle track racing because of all the coil packs sitting on top of the engine-they won't hold up to dirt racing.' I look at this as 'perceived' durability, not based on experience. So I think the perceived durability of electronic components and systems in a harsh racing environment is a concern that needs to be addressed.

Possibly of higher concern among race promoters, the other issue is a notion that allowing the use of electronics in racing provides an increased opportunity for cheaters to bring in technologies like traction control. I really think this concern is based on a lack of understanding how EFI engines can be made to work in a racing environment. But that can change and it's likely a forward thinking promoter who will eventually dispell that myth.

On the 'green' side involving catalytic converters and making race engines cleaner, I think the immediate issue is engineering the cats and related systems to the point of effectively and efficiently handling 700-800hp racing engines. I see this as less of a perception issue and more of an engineering issue, because we won't need to deal with faulty perceptions until the engineering goals are met."

What questions do you see arising from this project and how do you perceive responding to them?
"I think some people will question our motives. I don't want readers to think that we are advocating abandoning traditional carbureted engines. We're not. As I've said before, this project is about the expansion of our industry by embracing new technology and bringing new people into oval track racing. EFI is the future, but carbureted motors are not going anywhere-there's room for both.

That said, the one piece I see causing us the most concern is the use of catalytic converters. While we are showing how to make race engines greener or cleaner, there is a portion of racers who, I think, don't really care. The perspective could be, 'You're designing another system that the racer must buy and that translates into spending more money.' However, the approach we're suggesting uses a domestically-produced, sustain-able fuel in an EFI system that can ultimately save the racer money (including improved fuel economy and less frequent engine rebuilds).

Bottom line, if we expand our thinking toward how we develop future propulsion systems for our race cars, we can have a positive effect on the sport from an overall viewpoint. Taking a proactive position by exploring suitable alternatives to conventional circle-track engine technology, demonstrating how beneficial torque characteristics can be established by such alternatives, and including the use of sustainable fuels are all part of a beginning to help expand the future of circle track racing.

I honestly believe that an electronically controlled, fuel-injected engine running on domestically produced alcohol will result in a very fast, very driveable, highly responsive yet cost-effective oval track race car."

Horace Mast, President, Mast MotorsportsDid you observe any test results that were not expected?
"As far as my review of the test results are concerned, I think there wasn't anything I didn't expect to see. I'm sure some people might have been surprised at how little power was consumed by the catalytic converters and how much of a difference they made in emissions. However, even though we saw substantial reductions in emissions, I think we can improve on catalytic converter efficiency for further decreases, even though the reductions made in NOx at this stage were significant. One additional issue that I know we'll be working on very soon is getting catalyst capabilities up to the level that can handle the power levels of these type of racing engines. I know the technology for upgrading the cats exists and has for 10 or 20 years. It's more a matter of applying that knowledge to the demands of higher horsepower engines to make certain durability isn't an issue under high heat and load conditions as seen during racing."

Based on the dyno test thus far conducted, what conclusions can you draw about the impact of this project on the circle track community, both short- and longterm?
"At this stage, I think it's going to take some time for everything being proposed in this project to take root in circle track racing. Short-term, I believe transitions will begin and move in stages.

For example, I believe the first movement will be when racers begin switching from carburetors to fuel injection, and I see no reason why this should not occur. I also think such changes will be more accepted in the circle track community because NASCAR has made the commitment to go into fuel injection. In a longterm sense, I think it'll require more time for sanctioning organizations to begin implementing 'green' sustainable fuels, catalytic converters, and things of that nature to really help the impact of racing on the environment."

What immediate and longer term issues do you think need to be resolved in bringing the benefits of this project more into the mainstream of circle track racing?
"The immediate and longterm issue is getting the proper catalytic converter technology into the units to be used in racing. Considering the cost of racing, the cost of chassis and related expenses, installing a pair of catalytic converters is just as easy as installing mufflers. There's nothing complex about this, and as long as the ones used are designed for the proper application, they'll have a significant impact on emissions. While there may be some instances where cats also function as mufflers, I think the major issue right now is getting converter manufacturers to design and build the proper parts. Beyond this, I think selling the idea to racers and spectators will be more difficult than simply using the parts."

What questions do you see arising from this project and how do you perceive responding to them?
"In the process of getting racers and spectators to accept a more 'green' approach to racing, it's important everyone involved knows and understands it's not going to make any difference in racing, almost no difference in power, and will allow race cars to have a major and positive impact on emissions. The racing community needs to become more proactive. Racers need to know they should become involved in all this before some forces outside motorsports say it's required. Taking the initiative right now to demonstrate viable options for more environmentally responsible racing is an obvious step toward assuring the sport's future.

Dave Kalen, Account Executive, Semtech, Inc.Did you observe any test results that were not expected?
"In our experience dealing with catalytic converters, once you reach an exhaust temperature that causes converter light-off, you see virtually no more unburned hydrocarbons (HC). In this particular case, I was surprised at the levels of HC that we observed. However, according to Forrest, this was because of a lack in oxygen to burn off the excess HC, and he's already suggested a way we can prevent this by the supply of additional air to the cats. This is simply something necessary to get the most efficiency from the converters and information that's valuable to the project, especially when we get to the track. It was also interesting and somewhat unexpected that we didn't see nearly as high HC levels as I've observed testing race-type engines in the past. I'm also confident we'll bring down the comparatively lower levels for this engine once we get additional oxygen into the system."

Based on the dyno tests thus far conducted, what conclusions can you draw about the impact of the project on the circle track community, both short- and longterm?
"I was amazed to see that the power penalties were so slight, considering all the changes made, especially when switching from a carburetor to EFI. I mean, at the power levels we're dealing with for this engine, the horsepower and torque differences were miniscule by comparison.

I think we can point to these new technologies as actually gaining performance in certain ranges of engine speed without a major sacrifice in peak power where these type engines don't necessarily spend that much time on the track. Short- and longterm, I think we're already seeing evidence that switching to the newer technologies and sustainable fuels can have a major impact on the circle track community. And keep in mind that we've just begun exploring possibilities and haven't had an opportunity to optimize any of the combinations."

What immediate and longer term issues do you think need to be resolved in bringing the benefits of this project more into the mainstream of circle track racing?
"I think that the immediate issues are making our data relevant to what the racers could see as a viable project to which they can relate. That will entail on-track testing with additional O2 injected so that we can fully realize the benefits of the three-way catalysts. With the large amounts of CO measured during the dyno tests, its clear there was not sufficient oxygen to make the cats more efficient. A solution to this will be a part of the overall puzzle.

We can also work on this on the chassis dyno to determine the amount of O2 necessary to compensate better for the effects of E85. I think we all feel that using the Lambda Master instrumentation will enable us to make further changes to the ECU data to capitalize on the true benefits of the ethanol. I also believe we now have a better idea about placement of the catalysts for not only further emissions reductions but a path to additional increases in power and torque. Given this additional input from future tests, my sense is the circle track community will be more acceptable to what the project is revealing."

What questions do you see arising from this project and how do you perceive responding to them?
"I think you'll always find people who are resistant to change. Plus, racers become comfortable simply doing things the way they 'always have.' That's a given.

The fact is we've not had sufficient data to back up previous suggestions that a more 'green' approach to racing would not disadvantage racers trying to compete against others using more conventional or current technologies. And even if cars adopting a more 'green' approach might begin by racing cars using similar technologies, we're already seeing evidence that power will not materially suffer and, in fact, a broader range of torque when switching from carburetors to EFI could be an overriding benefit. Simply stated, we're not pulling some wild numbers out of the air. The people engaged in this project are experienced and highly qualified in their respective fields, all relevant to our objectives and the fact we're using a scientific approach to collecting and analyzing results speaks further to validating the approach and the information. I think the responses we can provide those who doubt the value of the project will help bring a clearer understanding to what we're learning."